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Korea's Traditional 'Gat' Gains Global Popularity, Faces Transmission Crisis Due to Artisan Shortage
Global Popularity of Korea's Traditional 'Gat' and the Rise of 'K-Style'
Foreign tourists visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul have recently been frequently spotted enjoying Korean culture by wearing traditional *hanbok* alongside the gat. This comes as K-style spreads globally, with historical dramas like the Netflix series 'Kingdom' and even K-pop artists featuring the gat on stage, leading to increased interest in traditional attire.
The gat is a wide-brimmed black hat historically worn by high-ranking men during the Joseon Dynasty, and has now established itself as a cultural symbol of Korea and an item expressing modern sophistication. The popularity of the gat instills cultural pride in Koreans, further highlighting the charm of K-culture, where tradition and modernity harmoniously blend.
The Struggles of Gat Artisans and the Challenge of Transmission
Despite the growing popularity of the gat, the reality for the artisans who handcraft them is challenging. Currently, only four traditional gat artisans are recognized by the South Korean government, and among them, Master Artisan Jeong Chun-mo has been making gat for nearly 60 years. Master Artisan Jeong Chun-mo, who began learning the craft in 1973, is striving to ensure the continuation of the traditional technique, fearing its disappearance.
Crafting a single gat requires a highly delicate and arduous process involving 51 steps, taking up to six months to complete. The brim is intricately woven from bamboo split as finely as thread, while the crown is made from horsehair. Due to this labor-intensive process, the price of a gat is very high. Jeong Han-su, the son of Master Artisan Jeong Chun-mo, was initially skeptical about continuing the family craft, but through his father's passion and explanations, he is now dedicated to the transmission of the technique. Master Artisan Jeong Chun-mo hopes that government subsidies will help lower the price of the gat, making authentic gat accessible to more people.
*Source: YouTube: NHK World-Japan (2026-03-12)*
